MBRRACE-UK report raises concerns about stillbirths and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies

A new report, Maternal, Newborn and Infant programme: stillbirths and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies, presents the findings of the fourth perinatal confidential enquiry carried out as part of the MBRRACE-UK programme of work.

Focusing on stillbirths and neonatal deaths in twin pregnancies, the aims of the enquiry were to assess:

• adherence to clinical guidelines (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Green-top, Royal College of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Pathologists, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Sands)

• the standard of care provision throughout the care pathway encompassing all relevant specialties (obstetrics, midwifery, neonatology, anaesthetics and pathology)

• the role, availability and multidisciplinary working of bereavement teams

• the role of placental pathology review and post-mortem.

The report found that in just over half of pregnancies, improvements in care were identified which may have made a difference to the outcome for the baby. Furthermore, there was major suboptimal antenatal care in half of pregnancies and major suboptimal follow-up care for three-quarters of women.

Elizabeth Draper, Professor of Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology at University of Leicester and Lead Author of the report says: “Losing a child is one of the most unbearable and painful ordeals a parent can endure. We identified major sub-optimal issues in antenatal and follow-up care in half of the pregnancies we reviewed and for half of the women in the enquiry. Many of these deaths may have been prevented had better care been provided.”

The MBRRACE-UK report concludes that if health professionals followed existing national guidance and implemented the report’s recommendations, baby deaths in twin pregnancies could be reduced.

Read the report at: www.hqip.org.uk/resource/maternal-newborn-and-infant-programme-stillbirths-and-neonatal-deaths-in-twin-pregnancies/